呈現(xiàn)于讀者面前的這部《美國學(xué)生人類史》，亦名《人類的故事》，是荷蘭裔美籍記者、教授兼作家房龍的經(jīng)典著作，書中插圖亦出自作者之手。《美國學(xué)生人類史》英文原版問世于1921年，1922年獲得首屆紐伯瑞兒童文學(xué)獎。1923年，著名教育出版公司麥克米倫公司出版《美國學(xué)生人類史》學(xué)生版，推薦給學(xué)校作為教材使用。1957年，據(jù)其改編的電影上市。1925年，沈性仁女士將《美國學(xué)生人類史》翻譯介紹到中國，由商務(wù)印書館出版，在國內(nèi)掀起一陣房龍熱。
《美國學(xué)生人類史》最初是房龍寫給兩位孫子的歷史故事集。書中內(nèi)容均按短篇章節(jié)而寫，敘述西方文明是如何從原始人類發(fā)源，并進一步講述書寫文字、藝術(shù)、建筑以及主要的信仰，直至近代民族國家的興起等。遺憾的是，房龍的這部經(jīng)典兒童文學(xué)作品，在中國一直與他后來寫作的《寬容》、《圣經(jīng)的故事》等被當(dāng)作成人閱讀的人文經(jīng)典。這種出版導(dǎo)向，使得《美國學(xué)生人類史》錯失了很多青少年讀者。在出版美國另一位作者維吉爾?希利爾的一套文史經(jīng)典（《美國學(xué)生世界歷史》、《美國學(xué)生世界地理》、《美國學(xué)生藝術(shù)史》）之后，我們決定將房龍的這部書并入希利爾校長的文史系列。并將此英漢雙語版定名為《美國學(xué)生人類史》，以期引吸更多學(xué)生讀者閱讀此書，了解人類歷史知識、同步提升英文閱讀水平。
The Story of Mankind was written and illustrated by American journalist, professor, and author Hendrik Willem van Loon and published in 1921. In 1922, it was the first book to be awarded the Newbery Medal for an outstanding contribution to children's literature.
Written for his grandchildren, The Story of Mankind tells in brief chapters the history of Western civilization beginning with primitive man, covering the development of writing, art, and architecture, the rise of major religions, and the formation of the modern (for 1921) nation-state. Van Loon explains in the book how he selected what and what not to include by subjecting all materials to the question: Did the person or event in question perform an act without which the entire history of civilization would have been different? This genuinely enjoyable charmer, for history buffs and the historically challenged alike, covers human history from prehistoric times, when our earliest ancestors were learning to communicate with grunts, right through to the issues of the latter 20th century. Van Loon's inviting classic is filled with stories that bring history alive. His pen-and-ink illustrations, maps, and animated chronology contribute to the cozy, round the fireplace aspect of the book.
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